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“Soon you will get paid to suffer instead of paying to suffer.”

Now that I have graduated from university, my life has taken on a very normal schedule. For my friends who are still in school, however, it is a chaotic time due to final assignments, projects, and exams for the end of the fall semester.

I’ve always liked school, but now more than ever, I do not wish to go back.

When did it start? Probably during my first co-op. Once I started working full time and having set hours five times a week, I realized how great it was to go home and not have any other obligations. Work was back in the office where I left it, and it can return the next day.

The stability of a normal work schedule also helped me maximize my planning in regards to my social life. I could make plans far in advance because my schedule would essentially be the same, whereas if I was a student, I would never be sure if I would need to spend more time working on a project or studying for an exam.

I know there are many fun things about school. I’ve liked school all the way until now. You get to see your friends more often, you get to learn (sounds cheesy, but it really is one of the best things about school), and you can leave the house in hoodies and sweatpants. Perhaps I’ve begun to outgrow these things.

I still see my friends. We spend actual quality time together instead of just sitting next to each other in a lecture hall.

I get to learn every day at work from other people, from myself. There are so many (free) online resources. I taught myself how to run and measure social media campaigns. I taught myself graphic design. These are technical skills you can gain in your own time and it’s an investment towards your professional development.

No hoodies or sweatpants in a typical office setting, but you’d be surprised how many workplaces accept leggings as appropriate attire in Vancouver, the land of leggings (wear them under a dress!). And hey, now you can actually buy some better clothes for yourself that don’t wear out after a year or two.

So no chaos in my peaceful work life, aside from the massive renovation my office is going through (“Shred all the archived papers!”), which doesn’t really affect me because I’m a new employee with only snacks in my drawer.

To all my friends who are stressed and swamped with schoolwork, I can only say this: